Maple's Wisdom: *starry eyed* WAAAAAIIIIII!!!!!!!!! You guys are soo awesome, this story is almost my most reviewed story ever EVER! (I know...my best was 13 reviews because of 2 faithful reviewers...) I love you guys!!! OK, I'm so happy I'm gonna answer all the questions in your reviews!

L-chan-I can't start the T+T until Eriol dumps Tomoyo...sorry. That should be next chapter, though. I think this is going to be 7 chapters and an epilogue, because to me, the plot seems so dragged out already! and as for the paragraphs-it's a habit of mine. I'll try and remember, I'm sure you're not the only one. Touya is a bigger part later in the story, don't worry!

Anna-YAY! My fic isn't corny! Sooo happy, my fic is NOT corny! ^_^. I soo agree with you on the E+T. I did tone Meiling down, but only because she's super-depressed right now, she should cheer up soon (Chapter 4 will be fun to write, I have soo many things to happen there!) The new card does have a false form, who it is..well, that'd be no fun if I told you, would it? Kero and Suppi? Heh, um, they're uh..sleeping. *trying to cover up the fact that she completely forgot about Kero and Suppi* Yeah...sleeping.

Orenji-chan-Yay! I have another fan! That makes...*counting* 1....2....3...4! Wai! Rock candy rules!

Okami-You discovered my secret! Yes, Yue is paired with....someone whos name starts with an N! Actually, Knowledge is with Yue, but her false form's name starts with an N! (Ooo, big hint, especially since this fic has no Mary-Sues.) Go Okami-chan! Good for you, doing your homework. ^_^

I had 4 reviews....for 1 chapter...all on the same day! YAY! that's got to be a record! Thank you! *blows kisses*
And now, Day 3!

Maple's Disclaimer: Hmm...I'm running out of amusing disclaimers...(insert amusing scenario in which MapleCharisma states that she does not own CCS)

)Meiling's POV(

I opened one eye, then the other. Looking down, I saw that I was still dressed. That's weird, I thought, then remembered yesterday.
"Eriol-kun..." I whispered.
"Hai, Meiling-san?" His cheshire cat-like face peeked through the flap in my tent.

"What do you want, Hiiragizawa?" I asked icily, sitting up. A look of surprise and something else crossed his face.

"I just thought you'd like some breakfast. After all, you slept through dinner." he replied.

"I'm really not that hungry."

"No, Meiling, you are. Here." He handed me a tray of wonderful steaming-hot food. It smelled heavenly. Kinomoto-san must have gotten his father's cooking skills. Eriol hesitated, then asked, "Mind if I keep you company?" No way, I thought.

"No, not at all." I heard myself saying. He sat beside me and smiled politely as I shoveled down food.

"Meiling-san..." Eriol began after I had finished (about 3 seconds flat). "Do you remember when we met?"

What was he playing at? I knew...I think that we both knew...that I would never forget the smallest detail. It was July 13, 2001. Syaoran-kun's thirteenth birthday.

~*~*~Flashback~*~*~

I sat and watched as Syaoran paced nervously back and forth.

"What if she forgot? What if she missed her plane? What if-get that thing out of my face, Daidouji, what if she just decided not to come?" My cousin had never been so panicked in his entire life.

"No need to worry, Li-kun. Remember that Sakura-chan is always late." said Tomoyo kindly, ignoring Syaoran's order by sticking her camcorder in his face. "Li-kun getting all nervous over Sakura-chan is almost as kawaii as Sakura-chan! But nothing could ever be cuter or more talented than Sakura-chan!"

I laughed at Tomoyo's strangeness and glanced through the guest list. Distant relatives, including me, Aunt Yelan, Syaoran's sisters, Tomoyo, Sakura, and....who the what? The doorbell rang, tempoarily distracting me from the unfamiliar name.
"I apologize for my lack of punctuality." A blue-haired, four-eyed boy grinning like an idiot was at the door. Breaking his smile long enough to open his eyes, he glanced around the room. "Ah, Daidouji-san. It's nice to see you again." Tomoyo blushed pink. I thought Tomoyo had undying love for Sakura, though...perhaps the whole Sakura thing was just a crush. "Don't worry, my cute little descendant, your beloved will arrive shortly." Syaoran glared. "I don't believe we've met." he said in an annoyingly polite tone of perfect Japanese.

"No, we haven't." I replied innocently. The doorbell rang, and cries of, "Sakura!", "Sakura-san!", "Sakura-chan!", and "Kinomoto!" echoed throughout the room. Tomoyo ran to the door.

"SAKURA-CHAN!" she shrieked happily. "Li-kun was worried you wouldn't come!"

"But I would never miss it, Syaoran-kun!" Sakura assured my cousin. He turned cherry red in response.

"Maybe," Tomoyo said with a wink, "Eriol-kun, Meiling-san and I should leave you alone." The boy named Eriol bowed annoyingly and left. Tomoyo and I went to the adjacent room where we could spy. Tomoyo shoved her camcorder through the unnoticed hole in the wall and shrieked 'Kawaii!" before turning to me.

"Well, what do you think of Eriol?" she asked.

"Can't stand the stupid prat." I muttered.

"I think I'm in love," she confided in me, "He's so smart and charming. He's Clow-san's reincarnation, you know. Oh, look! KA-WA-II!!"

I glanced through the peephole just in time to see Sakura and Syaoran break away from their very first kiss.

"I need a copy of that tape, Daidouji." I said evilly. Syaoran heard me and his head turned. I ducked, but Tomoyo wasn't quick enough.

"Abandon ship!" I yelled, and ran for my life. Syaoran would surely kill me now. He caught up to me and grabbed my sleeve.

"Never-" "Syaoran! Leave her alone!" Syaoran turned red. "Where did Daidouji go? I need to burn that tape."

I shrugged, thanking Sakura endlessly in my head for saving my life. I would be eternally in her debt. I'll never tell her that, though, that would make her superior to me and...

When the celebration ended, I saw Eriol to the door.

"I don't believe I ever got your name," he said irritatingly, "it would be a crime for me to leave without it."

"Li Meiling Rae." I said.

"May I call you Meiling? It is such a lovely name."

"Do what you please." I replied haughtily. He smiled and said good-bye, then left, and I closed the door behind him.
~*~*~Flashback~*~*~

"What of it?" I asked in the same haughty tone.

"Only that you remember Sakura-san's and your cousin's first kiss."

"I do. What does it matter, anyways?"

"You and Tomoyo-san were...quite a pair."

"We were." I didn't feel like elaborating. Seeing that I wasn't in a socialable mood, Eriol bowed out of my tent.

It was so...like this passing week, I thought. I was scheming (though I admit reluctantly) to get Tomoyo and Eriol together, spying on them, and soon they would kiss and be the perfect couple. The end. And I will fade into the background, a white lotus, unnoticed and unloved.

I wiped a tear from my eye. I couldn't feel sorry for myself, I had to be strong. To be weak was to not be a Li. And I was already enough of a mistake in the elders' eyes. If I could marry strategically, perhaps I could gain their approval...

"No," I whispered softly, "I-I can't do this." The clock chimed noon, and I wiped my eyes halfheartedly. No one should know I had been crying. I rose and went to the mess burrow.

Lunch was udon with kamaboko. I shovelled mine down, still hungry from skipping dinner yesterday. Sakura had brought the stuffed animal and Suppi to lunch, since Suppi had a sugar overload from all the sweets the stuffie 'shared' with (force-fed) him. Besides, I think that Sakura and the other magic persons sensed Clow's magic at work. I don't know why Eriol doesn't just tell them what it is.

I needed someone to confide in, like when I confided in Tomoyo after Syaoran told me he loved Sakura. I couldn't breathe a word to Tomoyo this time, of course. It had to be someone who knew how it felt not to be with the one you love, because it is selfish and forbidden...

"Sasaki, could you come with me?"

Sasaki looked up and nodded, looking confused. I didn't blame her. We barely said a word to each other.

I paused awkwardly as we walked along the path behind the mess burrow.

"Err...Sasaki..." I began. Wow, informative, Meiling, you said her name, I thought sarcastically. She looked up at me.

"Is it about Hiiragizawa-san?" she asked, nearly making me faint.

"H-hai," I whispered, blushing, "I love him, Sasaki! And he loves Tomoyo and Tomoyo loves him and-and-" I stopped, "-I'll always be the evil one trying to break up the perfect couple."

Sasaki shook her head, placing a hand on my shoulder, "Li-san, don't feel that way. Hiiragizawa and Daidouji aren't the perfect couple. They're only dear friends. They have far too much in common to be any more."

"But Tomoyo loves him," I whispered, "she told me so."

Sasaki sighed, "You can't always be with the one you love, Li-san, even if the love is mutual. But, I am sure someone out there, or even perhaps someone in here, will return your love. You have so much of it. Don't push Eriol away. There is a chance it's felt both ways."

I shook my head, "I was born unlucky, Sasaki. I had no magic, born a Li. It went downhill from there. My parents didn't want me, they sent me to train in martial arts. I met Syaoran, and I got a bit of a crush on him. When Sakura and him fell in love, I had nowhere to go. I talked to Tomoyo a lot, and we became very close. When I met Eriol," I punched a nearby tree viciously, "He got on my nerves. He was so gentlemanly and annoyingly polite. He never got mad, in fact, he never showed any trace of emotion whatsoever. I guess he made me mad because I wanted to be like him. My life would have been so much better if I were like Eriol, and for that I resented him."

Sasaki paused, then said, "Cry."

"Nande?" I asked, alarmed at the thought.

"Cry now, so you never have to cry again." she said. I gave in and cried. I cried until there were no more tears left in me, and then I cried some more. It felt so good, just to cry, and not worry about people feeling sorry for me, or about being better than everyone else, just to cry and let go of all the things I had been holding on to so tight.

"Li-san..do you want to see what happens on Hiiragizawa and Daidouji's date?" asked Sasaki. I cringed at the word 'date'.

"OK," I said. No matter how much it would hurt, I had to know for sure, "come with me?"

"Sure," She said, patting me on the shoulder, "Don't lose hope, Li-san. It would be such a loss." I nodded.

*

After dinner, Sasaki met me under the bridge. It wasn't a good place to spy on deaf people or mimes, but Eriol and Tomoyo were neither and given the circumstances, it was perfect.

"Here-have some." Sasaki offered me some strawberry Pocky.

"Where'd you get that?" I asked suspiciously, accepting the one in her hand and taking a big bite.

"Err...Yosh-ano, Terada-sensei gave me some." Sasaki blushed pink. I rolled my eyes.

"It's nice to see you again, Tomoyo-san." I muffled my giggling and grabbed another Pocky. Did he love me? Hah, wishful thinking. Still, just because he didn't love me didn't mean he loved Tomoyo. That made me feel better. After all, if I couldn't have the person I loved, at least I wouldn't alienate my best friend.

Charisma's Critique: How was it? I never wrote such a long chapter so naturally before. It feels great! Whee! I finished this chapter really quickly because I don't think any of my stories have ever gotten this many reviews for one chapter, so this fic is my most popular and since it's popular I feel bad leaving this so long. I'm gonna narrow down my priorities fic-wise, because now I have too many fics unfinished at a time. Expect to see a notice that I'm not going to update (story name) for a while but I'll get back to it on the summaries of some of my other fics (not this one, though. I've put it on the list of fics that I'll defineitely continue) Hah, I'm rambling about this even though you guys don't really read my other fics (Exception: L-chan reads my other T+T) Sorry! I suppose you've all either fallen asleep by now or skipped this paragraph altogether soo...vocab!

Charisma's Vocab:
kawaii-cute
udon-yummy japanese noodles-fat. VERY YUMMY! Especially fried...mmm....
kamaboko-Fish cake-type thingys
nande-why

Review! Aww, thanks guys, *gets all teary eyed* I'm so happy people are reading this! ^_^ ^_^